The water temperature slightly higher than body temperature, the misty fragrance filling the air, and the warm, tender hands behind him… all felt so comfortable that Cheng Chi closed his eyes.
The skin exposed to the outside had been tanned to a honey color, but the skin on his body still had clear texture, white and pure as jade.
Zhou Shaojin couldn’t help but roll up her sleeves to compare the color of her arm with Cheng Chi’s… it seemed just a tiny bit darker than her skin… Zhou Shaojin smiled with pursed lips.
Sensing something unusual, Cheng Chi half-opened his eyes, taking in Zhou Shaojin’s playful expression completely.
His heart stirred. He sat up, turned, and hooked his arm around Zhou Shaojin’s neck.
Caught off guard, Zhou Shaojin stumbled and fell into Cheng Chi’s embrace.
Water quickly soaked through her clothing.
“Shaojin, I’m sorry.” Cheng Chi looked into her eyes, guilt flashing in his gaze. “I thought I could finish the work quickly. I didn’t expect things to be more difficult than I imagined. I wasn’t even by your side when you gave birth…”
“I’m fine!” Zhou Shaojin gazed at his handsome features, her heart pounding violently. Her mind felt as if it had been muddled by the hot steam, unable to think clearly. “Mother took good care of me, and Second Sister-in-law too. When I was giving birth to Yun Ge’er, she stayed with me in the delivery room the whole time and taught me how to nurse the baby… And Elder Sister—as soon as she got the news, she rushed over… Madam and Father also sent lots of supplements like ginseng, bird’s nest, and white fungus… They also said they would bring Little Brother to see me at Yun Ge’er’s hundredth-day celebration…”
Her voice grew softer and softer… Cheng Chi’s face drew closer and closer to hers… Her heart beat faster and faster…
Cheng Chi finally kissed those red lips he had dreamed of even in his sleep.
Delicate, tender, like soft egg custard—it made Cheng Chi close his eyes, yet he couldn’t help but devour her hungrily…
Zhou Shaojin felt all her strength being drawn away by Cheng Chi. It wasn’t until her chest was pressed painfully against the wooden tub that she came to her senses and struggled to push him away.
Cheng Chi lingered a few more moments before releasing her.
Zhou Shaojin said shyly: “The wooden tub… it’s pressing against me…”
Cheng Chi laughed heartily.
Joy instantly leaped into the corners of his eyes and brows, illuminating his face.
“Then take a bath with me.” As he spoke, he stood and pulled Zhou Shaojin into the wooden tub.
“No, no!” Zhou Shaojin thought about how she was still dressed.
“What’s wrong with it?” As Cheng Chi spoke, he raised an eyebrow. His originally cold and distant demeanor gained a touch of mischief, making his features even more vivid.
Uncle Chi is really so handsome!
Zhou Shaojin gazed at him with some infatuation.
Cheng Chi raised an eyebrow, his heart feeling as if a small beast inside wanted to leap out.
In no time at all, he had stripped off Zhou Shaojin’s wet sleeves and tossed them to the floor. It wasn’t until the water soaking into her skin felt a bit cool that she reacted.
“No, no!” Zhou Shaojin’s face flushed bright red as she wrapped her arms around her body, which was clad only in a deep purple belly band embroidered with large pink hydrangea flowers.
What would the maids think when they came to clean up and saw this?
How could she face anyone after this?
But she and Cheng Chi were reunited after a long separation. Cheng Chi had worked so hard in Kaifeng Prefecture—if she rejected him, wouldn’t that make him unhappy?
Zhou Shaojin was caught in a dilemma when Cheng Chi leaned forward, pressing his forehead against hers, and asked in a deep voice: “Shaojin, there, day and night, I looked forward to coming back early. Did you think of me?”
His deliberately lowered voice was mellow and husky, yet contained a subtly intoxicating allure.
Zhou Shaojin became lost in it, saying foolishly: “I did. Every day I thought about Uncle Chi.” As she spoke, tears fell silently. “I wondered what Uncle Chi was doing? Whether he was thinking of me? Whether he was tied up with official duties? Whether he was working through the night…”
That infatuated gaze was like aged wine—even without drinking, Cheng Chi felt slightly tipsy.
“Silly girl!” He held her tightly in his arms and plunged toward that flower valley.
A muffled “Mm!” was blocked in her throat by Cheng Chi, but the pain made Zhou Shaojin’s eyes widen.
Cheng Chi laughed softly, using his palm to close her eyelids, biting her most sensitive earlobe and whispering: “Close your eyes!”
Zhou Shaojin’s face flushed with shame.
She was so afraid of seeing his slightly teasing gaze.
As if he could see through the desire for him hidden in her heart.
But with her eyes closed like this, the sensations below became even more distinct.
Swollen and full, a bit painful… making her think of that bulging mass when he was at rest.
If he was excited, it must be even more astonishing, right?
Zhou Shaojin’s face burned hot, half her body went soft, like duckweed attached to him, rising and falling with his movements, rejoicing with his joy, going wild with his abandon… until she could bear it no longer and clutched his firm, strong arms, whimpering softly.
“Shaojin, Shaojin.” Cheng Chi’s somewhat anxious voice sounded in her ear.
She looked up in confusion, like a lost kitten, making his heart stir uncontrollably. He couldn’t help but bite her ear and said: “Good girl, are you uncomfortable?”
Zhou Shaojin nodded.
The fullness inside her body withdrew.
She shook her head again.
Where did Uncle Chi go…
She opened her arms toward Cheng Chi, calling out “Uncle Chi” in a sweet voice.
Cheng Chi’s face darkened a bit.